Trigger Happy Jack II.V

"I suppose that makes sense," I frown slightly. "Sometimes I forget that I can't compare all the races out there to Nik. Primes are different. Their whole demeanor just gives this impression that they've always been here and have always been superior to the rest of us, and they're just waiting for all the madness to end so they can take back their world. But not in an arrogant way, you know? They're just... patient. Like they're above all the petty nonsense that's going on."

"We're just a blip to them." I say with a sigh, sitting back again as I look towards the windshield. "If you compare average life spans, I'm actually closer to the end of mine than Cael is his. I mean, relatively. Obviously he'll outlive us all, but that's not what I meant."

"Yeah," I sigh sadly. "You know, Nik has had three families before me and my mum... sometimes I'll catch him staring at us and there's just this sadness there like he's watching us slip through his fingers. I couldn't imagine living like that."

"Do you think they feel more intensely than we do?" I ask absently, "Love harder, hate harder?

"I remember a man come in once, his wife had just died. He hardly looked older than you, but he had these pictures of her and she was ancient. Probably well into her nineties. He was just distraught, and he kept asking my dad to give him something so he could end it. He wanted to die with his wife.

"My dad sent me out of the room, swears he did no such thing... But I never saw that man again."

"I don't know, I could see it," I shrug. "I mean after so many lifetimes of loving and losing, it has to wear on you... I don't know how many times I could go through that before I'd want to end it, too."

"Ah," I nod my understanding as I settle in to my seat further, dozing off in no time.

***

I'm not sure how much time has passed before I stir back into consciousness. The sky is still black above us, and Cael is still sound asleep in the back of the van. Meanwhile, Jean is staring boredly at the road, with only a hint of exhaustion marring his handsome features.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep," I frown as I rub at my eyes, sitting up to stretch a bit, "Leave you all alone. How are you doing?"

"Something to drink and some food?" I ask as I glance over at her before shrugging. "Honestly, I really need to see a man about a dog... we've been driving since morning and it's going on late afternoon now."

"Ah," I nod, coming to sink back into my seat as I stretch my legs up to the dash. "It's an odd phrase." I shrug, "Kind of like when my dad used to tell me a girl in my class had a funny uncle. You know how long it took me to realize he didn't really mean funny?"